Judges 3:7

And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves.

And the children {H1121} of Israel {H3478} did {H6213} evil {H7451} in the sight {H5869} of the LORD {H3068}, and forgat {H7911} the LORD {H3068} their God {H430}, and served {H5647} Baalim {H1168} and the groves {H842}.

Thus the people of Isra'el did what was evil from ADONAI's perspective, forgot ADONAI their God, and served the ba'alim and asherim.

So the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD; they forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs.

And the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and forgat Jehovah their God, and served the Baalim and the Asheroth.

Commentary

Commentary on Judges 3:7 (KJV)

Judges 3:7 serves as a poignant summary of Israel's spiritual decline at the outset of the period of the Judges. It encapsulates the core reasons for the subsequent cycles of oppression and deliverance that characterize this tumultuous era. The verse highlights Israel's deliberate turning away from the Lord, their God, and their embrace of the idolatrous practices of the surrounding Canaanite nations.

Context

The Book of Judges chronicles a tumultuous period in Israel's history, where the nation repeatedly fell into a cycle of sin, judgment, repentance, and deliverance. This verse marks the beginning of Israel's direct disobedience following the death of Joshua and the elders who had known the Lord. Without strong central leadership and having failed to fully dispossess the Canaanites as commanded by God, Israel began to assimilate into the pagan cultures around them. This period is often summarized by the phrase, 'every man did that which was right in his own eyes,' highlighting the lack of central spiritual authority and the resulting moral decay. Despite clear warnings from God, particularly in Deuteronomy, against intermarrying with the Canaanites and serving their gods, Israel failed to uphold their covenant obligations.

Key Themes

  • Apostasy and Disobedience: The phrase "did evil in the sight of the LORD" signifies a deliberate act of rebellion against God's established laws and covenant. It indicates a departure from the path of righteousness that God had set for them.
  • Spiritual Forgetfulness: "Foragat the LORD their God" is a crucial element. It implies more than just a lapse in memory; it suggests a profound neglect of God's past faithfulness, His deliverance from Egypt, and His covenant promises. This spiritual amnesia was the root cause of their idolatry.
  • Idolatry: Serving "Baalim and the groves" represents the adoption of Canaanite polytheistic worship. This act of turning away from the one true God was a direct violation of the First Commandment given at Mount Sinai, which forbade having any other gods before Him.

Linguistic Insights

  • "Baalim": This is the plural form of Baal, a prominent Canaanite storm and fertility god, whose name means "lord" or "master." The plural indicates that the Israelites worshipped various local manifestations or different gods of the Baal pantheon, each associated with specific places or functions.
  • "the groves": The Hebrew word is Asherim (plural of Asherah). These were wooden cultic poles or trees, often associated with the Canaanite mother goddess Asherah, who was considered the consort of El or Baal. Their worship often involved fertility rites and immoral practices.

Practical Application

Judges 3:7 serves as a timeless warning for believers today. The Israelites' "forgetting" of God is a powerful reminder of the danger of spiritual complacency and neglecting our relationship with Him. In our modern context, "Baalim and the groves" might not be literal idols, but anything that takes the place of God in our lives – whether it be materialism, success, comfort, or even self-reliance. This verse calls us to:

  • Remember God's Faithfulness: Regularly reflect on God's past grace and provision in our lives, preventing spiritual amnesia.
  • Guard Against Idolatry: Be vigilant against anything that competes for our ultimate devotion and loyalty to God.
  • Stay Rooted in Truth: Continually immerse ourselves in God's Word and fellowship, to avoid drifting into practices and beliefs contrary to His will.
Note: Commentary was generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please remember that only the commentary section is AI-generated. The main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are sourced from trusted and verified materials.
The Major Judges of Israel and Their Stories The Cycle of Sin in the Book of Judges An Introduction to Judges: The Cycle of Sin and Deliverance The Work of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament

Cross-References

  • Exodus 34:13

    But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves:

  • 2 Kings 23:6

    And he brought out the grove from the house of the LORD, without Jerusalem, unto the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and stamped [it] small to powder, and cast the powder thereof upon the graves of the children of the people.

  • 2 Chronicles 33:19

    His prayer also, and [how God] was intreated of him, and all his sin, and his trespass, and the places wherein he built high places, and set up groves and graven images, before he was humbled: behold, they [are] written among the sayings of the seers.

  • 2 Chronicles 33:3

    For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.

  • Judges 6:25

    ¶ And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that [is] by it:

  • Deuteronomy 16:21

    Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the LORD thy God, which thou shalt make thee.

  • Deuteronomy 4:9

    Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons;
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